Intermural Life and Death
by WelshCanuck
Summary: Ever play Intermural sports in elementary school? What would happen if the sisters played in games where three strikes you are out: Permenately? Each on seperate teams, each must play to win. To lose on purpose you face something unseen that will kill you
1. Chapter 1

**  
Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.**

* * *

**Prue 12**

**Piper 10**

Phoebe 7

* * *

Everyone looked down the lists. She found her name and then she searched for her sisters, she hoped they would all be together. Her heart skipped a beat when she found one. Same team, ya. But as she reached the bottom of the list she didn't see the other. She moved through the crowd to the next list. Scanning it quickly it wasn't there either. She moved to the next one and made her way down. There it was. How could they be on different teams? They always kept siblings on the same team. 

She read again and saw who was where. How could this happen? They were sisters, they couldn't be against each other. Could they? Other siblings in the past had been on the same team. Why weren't they?

She stepped back from the crowd though knowing that she couldn't change the outcome. How would this work? What would happen in the end?

"Phoebe."

Phoebe spun around at the sound of her name been called from the other end of the hallway. "Hi. Nancy."

"Hey what's wrong with you. I thought you would be pumped at the start of the games."

"I was. Until I saw the teams."

"I saw that. What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. They kept us together last year. I'm worried how Piper will take it."

"She'll be ok. You'll see. Prue won't let anything happen to her. And I know neither will you."

"I guess. So where are you?"

"Yellow. Same as you."

"Cool." Phoebe smiled. Her friend Nancy and her had always been on the same teams for the past three years.

"We lost Ben though."

"What? No way?"

"Yup he got turned into a blue team guy."

"Ok that sucks. He's like one of the best players in our grade." Phoebe said as her mind turned to the lists again, her sister was on blue team.

"Yeah well at least we kept you. I bet it comes down to yellow and blue again."

"Well it probably will, the teams haven't changed in three years except any new students. And some shuffling to balance out."

"Like your sister?"

"Yeah, well that could prove interesting." Phoebe thought about playing the games on the opposite side of her sister.

--- ----

Phoebe ran up the steps to the Manor that she shared with her sisters and Grams. She dropped her bag and ran to the back of the Manor finding her Grams standing as she usually did near the stove. "Hey Grams." Phoebe wrapped her arms around her waist hugging her tight.

"Woo. Hello my darling. How was your day?

Phoebe pulled away from her Grams and sat on the kitchen stool. "Not bad I guess."

Grams could sense something that was not right with the usual jubilant youngest granddaughter. "Phoebe. What's wrong?"

"She's bummed out because we are not all on the same teams for the years intramural sports." Prue placed her bag on the chair before giving her Grams a hug and a kiss.

"I am not."

"You are. I saw Nancy when I was in the parking lot."

"I'm glad we aren't. Hanging out with you two at school would be worse then at home." Phoebe countered as she jumped down from the stool and headed for the stairs to the second floor.

"Prudence. Why must you tease her like that?"

"She deserves it. Ok, I have homework and Andy and I are going out to a movie tonight. Dinner at 530?"

"As always. Now go tell Phoebe your sorry"

Prue was about to protest but decided that she would just lose the argument with her grandmother. Picking up her bag she headed up stairs and went to her room, she was unloading her pack before turning to a sound at her door. "Hey Pipe."

"Hi." Piper stepped into Prues room and sat on her bed.

"Not you too?"

"What?"

"Phoebe is bummed out because of the teams that were posted today."

"Oh. No I don't really care about that stuff you know that Prue."

"I know. So what is it?"

"I'm kinda worried about Phoebe. She was really looking forward to all of us being together. After all this is your last one before high school."

"I'll talk to her Pipe. It'll be ok. I won't let anything happen to either one of you."

"Well in case you forgot one of us is on the other team. Not to mention the enemy when it comes to yellow and blue."

"We'll be ok Piper. Now go help Grams. I need a little heart to heart with our sister."

--- ----

Phoebe lay on her bed as she looked up at a picture of her with her sisters and their mother.

Prue stood at the entrance to her sister's room and looked over at the far bed and saw Phoebe looking the other way. But she also knew what she was looking at. "Hey kiddo." Prue sat on the edge of the bed as she placed her hand on Phoebes hip. "Phoebe look I'm sorry about downstairs. I know you wanted us all on the same team this year, but it'll all work out."

"No it wont Prue. It's your last year. This was the year that we all won it. Damn blue team anyway, they win it every year. And we said this year we would kick their asses."

"Phoebe."

"What? We did. But now it won't be the same. You're gonna be one of them."

"Phoebe I'll still be your sister. I'm not the enemy here. I won't let anything happen to you or Piper."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now come on. Lets go Help Grams with dinner." Prue stood up and started for the bedroom door. But as she got closer she felt herself falling forward, though she caught herself as she leaned towards Pipers bed.

"I love you."

Prue reached around and hugged her sister. "Ditto Phoebs."

* * *

Several months later:

"Piper this cant be happening."

"Phoebe it is. It does every year. Its us and them."

"She lied to me you know."

"What are you talking about?"

"Prue. She said she wouldn't let anything happen to us. It was her that got me in dodge ball. I was the only one left and their guys were dropping like flies. I was kicking their asses."

"Phoebe."

"Well I was. You know I'm unstoppable in that game. But she knew just what to do to get me out."

"Phoebe she didn't do it on purposes, it's just the heat of the game. Look we made it to the final round. Us and them. Now go out there and kick some blue butt."

Phoebe looked around at the team they had. One last game. She was the youngest player on the team selected by the captains. Object; find the hidden treasure and bring it back to home base without getting caught by the other team. If you lost the flag attached to you had to leave the game. It was a game of speed, cunning and stealth.

"Halliwell come on. We got a final to win."

"Go on. You'll do great." Piper hugged her as she took in a deep breath and walked over to the rest of her team.

Phoebe looked across to the blue team that was assembled. She saw Prue laughing with her friends but then stopped as she turned and noticed that Phoebe was looking at her. They locked eyes a moment before Prue looked away.

"Ok teams. Play fair and have fun. The first team to find the treasure and brings it back home here. Is the winner of this years games. Now may the best team win." The teacher threw down the flag as yellow team ran towards the woods. They all knew that blue team would follow five minutes later. But they also knew that both teams already had people in the woods. The ones now were the decoys so the others could find the treasure and get it back home.

Piper paced the outside of the gym. How long had it been?

"They are both fine Piper. Prue won't let Phoebe get hurt."

"I know. But this is the longest this has ever taken."

"Yeah but that is what makes it exciting." Nancy laughed

"If you say so, I just hope it isn't one of them that finds it. After a few of the games Phoebe has been pretty mad at Prue."

"Yeah, but if its Phoebe it would be payback."

"True." Piper had to laugh as she looked again out to the woods.

--- ----

"There isn't that many left out there." one teacher said as they looked out to the playing field

"There are at least five blue players left."

"And only two yellow."

"If the last two yellow are caught then blue wins by default."

The students listened as the teachers talked amongst themselves. How could yellow win with only two left?

--- ----

"Ok Halliwell we know where it is we just need to get it before they do."

"Ok you know Tom I'm all for that but there is just two of us left."

"We don't know that."

"Have you seen anyone else from our team lately?"

"Ok look I'm going to high school next year and I intend on winning this thing. Come on I have an idea." He pulled her from the ground as they made their way to a clump of trees.

"Tom you can't take out that many by yourself."

"I can. You're small and fast Halliwell. You run in there and grab that thing. They will come after you. I can take out at least three of them. Maybe four.

"So what you think they are just waiting for us?"

"They get us they win by default. Now the thing they don't know is who's out here. The smallest and fastest."

"And the strongest and the biggest. Ok. But if one of the five is Prue. She's mine."

Tom looked down at Phoebe and could see the determination in her eyes. "Deal. Your sister is yours. Now get going." He said as she took cover on the only path out of the clump of trees and back to the school.

Phoebe lay perfectly still as they walked by her.

"Look all we have to do is wait for them to grab it. There is only like two left. We get them and we win. We don't even have to go for the treasure."

"Why don't we just grab it now. Even with two of them we've got this thing in the bag."

"Yeah lets just do it. We've been out for like four hours already."

There was a uneasy silence over the group before anyone said anything. Before they made their final plan.

"Anyone know whose left out there."

"I heard Prues sister was one."

"No way she lasted this long." Prue said from behind them.

"Look Prue if she is, you take her out. She's your sister."

"No way. I can't do that. She's my little sister."

"All the more reason for you to do it. Otherwise she will blame you for not protecting her.

"Ok you guys obviously don't have sisters but ok, I'll do it." Prue said though not sure what she would do if it came to that.

Phoebe felt the hot tear on her cheek. Her own sister was gonna go for her flag.

"Not if I take you out first Prue." She said quietly to herself as she moved with speed and stillness along the ground. She saw her target, but she also saw them.

She waited for the moment when it was all clear. But before she could make her move Prue had the object in her hand and was running for the main base. There was no way she was going to let Prue win this thing for her team. Jumping up from her hiding spot she ran after her sister.

"**GET HER!**" someone, yelled as they took off after Phoebe who was closing in on Prue.

She didn't look back. She knew they were all after her as she ran like she never had before.

She heard the curses and the sound of bodies hitting the ground but she didn't dare look back.

"Someone's coming!" Nancy yelled as she pointed towards the woods.

Everyone stood up and watched as the small figure got bigger.

"**Its Prue!"** Another voice yelled as the blue team started to cheer her on.

But Piper soon spotted the figure closing in on her. "Phoebe." She said quietly. "**Phoebe! Come on Phoebs**!" She yelled as soon everyone on the team also did.

Though suddenly everything seemed to slow down as Phoebe flew forward landing hard to the ground.

"**PHOEBE!"** Piper called out and started for her sister but felt the hand holding her back.

Phoebe felt the hit as she fell forward. But she as she lay there a second ticked by and then another. As she tried to push herself up. Before falling back down

Prue turned around and saw Phoebe fall back to the ground. Was she hurt? But she heard the cry of her team yelling at her to run. It was just the two of them, as the rest of her team was flagless thanks to Tom. But he too had lost his flag. It was sister against sister. Prue took a step towards Phoebe who tried again to get up but fell back down. She looked up at Prue with tears in her eyes.

Prue looked from her sister to her team. She didn't know which way to go. But she turned and ran for the finish line. As everyone crowded around her she looked past them to her sister. Piper was with her as she and the rest of their team helped her up. She knew that Phoebe would be mad at her. But it was just a game.

It was just a game, right?


	2. Chapter 2

Phoebe sat on the small bed as the nurse cleaned her cuts. "Owowowow!"

"Ok Phoebe, I'm sorry, I'm almost done." The young nurse tried to assure her.

Phoebe felt the hot tear running over her cheek as she tighten her eye closed as the nurse applied the cleaning solution to another cut.

"She going to be ok?"

Phoebe opened her eyes at the sound of the voice. "**Get out! I hate you!**" she yelled at her sister in the doorway. Though trying also to stand to push her way and close the door, though the Nurse held her back.

"Just some cuts and bruises mostly. I'll wrap her ankle when I'm done here, I think she sprained it. Have your Grams take her to the doctor on the way home or first thing tomorrow." The nurse said not looking up at Prue. Though knowing that both sisters were in a stare down. "Ok Phoebe, get your Grams to change your bandages before you go to bed tonight ok?"

"Ok. Thanks Mrs. Sampson."

"You're welcome Phoebe. You almost had her you know."

"I know." Phoebe agreed as she starred past the school nurse to her sister.

"Now get some rest until your Grams comes to get you. I'll let her know where you are."

Phoebe went to lay back on the small bed in the school nurse's room when she looked up and saw a familiar figure.

"How is she?"

"She'll be fine Piper. But I'm sure she'd love your company."

"Thanks." Piper looked in at her sister. Walking over she sat on the edge of the bed gently placing her arms around her.

"I had her Piper." Phoebe let the tears roll.

"I know you did honey." Piper said knowing how close Phoebe was to catching Prue.

Phoebe cried into Pipers shoulder as the events of the day ran through her mind.

Prue stood outside leaning against the doorframe watching her sisters. "I'm sorry baby." She whispered as she turned and walked away.

* * *

"Phoebe. Oh my darling. Are you ok sweetie?" Grams pulled her granddaughter in to a hug.

"Oh, not so tight Grams."

"Oh baby I'm sorry. Come on lets get you home. I think a good soak in the tub with Grams special bubbles will be just the cure for you."

--- ----

She heard the door squeak open as it always did when it was opened slowly. She didn't move as she continued to lie on her side and stare up at the picture by her bed. She had heard the water running in the bathroom; Grams special bubble bath. She had always loved those whenever she hurt herself like this. There was something magical about the bubbles she was certain. It made all her aches and pains dissolve away as if they were never there

"Grams said you needed your bandages taken off before the bath."

"Not by you."

"Look Phoebe I'm sorry."

"**You left me!"** she half yelled and half cried out as she turned and starred at her sister.

"Phoebe." Prue reached out for Phoebe, only to have Phoebe sit up and pull back from her. Though the movement caused some pain she yelled at her sister.

"**No**. Don't sit there and Phoebe me. You _**left me!**_ I fell on my face in front of the whole school and you left me there. My own sister."

"Phoebe I came back."

"After. So tell me Prue if I was hurt by some gnarly beast would you have left me there?"

"Phoebe that's not fair."

"Sure it is. You say it was just a game. Ok well you know there are some rules in games that are better off kept to yourself." Phoebe walked over to her closet.

"What are you talking about Phoebe? It's a game. That's it. There are some things in life that you need to realize don't always turn out the way you want them too. And that Piper or myself aren't always going to be there to wipe your skinned knee."

"Yeah and then there are things called sisterhood Prue. When something happens and you don't say what it was." Phoebe threw the small piece of material at her sister before she ran from the room.

Prue instinctively grabbed at the object that her sister threw at her and as she looked down she heard the slam of the bedroom door. But as she did she realized what Phoebe had thrown at her.

She looked down at the blue flag in her palm, realizing what Phoebe was talking about. She had been closer then Prue had thought, then anyone had thought. And in all the excitement no one even noticed that Phoebe had pulled Prues flag. Leaving her the only one still with her flag on. Yellow won by default, and Phoebe never said anything. She let her sister win.

"Phoebe." Prue got up and started after her sister.

"Let her be Prue. She needs some time to think about what happened."

"Grams I saw her lying on the ground and I turned and kept going."

"I know. I heard what happened from Piper. She knows what you did, and she knows that in a real situation that you would never leave her behind. She also knows that her team won." Grams said as she placed her hands on Prues that still held the blue flag.

Prue heard Grams words and still didn't quite understand why Phoebe never said anything.

"Because she loves you Prudence." Grams said knowing what her oldest granddaughter was thinking.

* * *

_**Fifteen years later:**_

"Ok that's it." Phoebe stumbled her way down the stairs as she pulled on her shoe, "I'm going back to NYC."

"Phoebe don't be such a baby." Piper called out from the living room

"I am the baby, and Earthquakes scare the shit out of me."

"Language young lady." Prue yelled over her shoulder as she made her way to the kitchen.

"No. Last time we had one of these, I seem to recall part of the Manor falling down. And might I add nearly on top of **ME!"**

"No history lesson needed, Phoebs we were there remember?" Piper shot back.

"True, but I still don't wanna re-live that any time soon if I have to, and if I do, I am so out of here."

"You like being a witch to much to leave now Phoebe." Prue laughed, back as she grabbed her coffee cup and filled it.

Phoebe stuck her tongue out at Prue as she watched her sister leave through the dining room. "Pipe, are we done you think?" Prue asked as she sat on the couch next to Piper.

"Yeah we're done. If we get any more they will be little aftershocks nothing more." She finished as she laughed at her sister.

Phoebe watched as her sisters sat on the couch like this was an everyday occurrence, "Oh just little ones. Well that's ok then." Phoebe rolled her eyes at her sisters. "_HELLO PEOPLE_. We just had an earthquake."

"We know that Phoebe calm down. If it were going to be worse we would have got it by now. Now come here and sit." Piper pulled her over the back of the couch.

Prue looked down at her youngest sister at the end of the couch, "Besides Phoebs, you can stare down the likes of demon and warlocks like Jeremy and you can't handle a little earth movement?"

"Ok you know a good friend of mine once told me. The earth is **NOT** supposed to **MOVE**!'"

"Yeah well you also grew up here and you know it does, so deal." Prue shot back as she chuckled at her sister.

They sat there enjoying a rare sister moment. After becoming witches, not so long ago, sister moments where few and far between, not to mention that the rift between Prue and Phoebe was still a little on the icey side. Though Piper was starting to sense the start of a thaw in their relationship over the past few months. _'Amazing what saving each others lives can do to a relationship'_ she thought to herself.

"Ok I have to go to work, you two behave." Prue voiced as she stood up and made her way to the back of the Manor.

Phoebe and Piper watched as their sister made her way through the Manor towards the kitchen.

"Ok Phoebs I gotta go too. Behave."

"And be careful." Prue added as she stepped from the Manor to the front porch.

"How does she do that?" Phoebe asked, as she looked dumbfounded at her sister.

"Practice, but she's right. Call if anything weird happens."

"I will, now go already." Phoebe shot back though smiling as she watched who was walking up the walkway. "Hi Leo."

Piper spun around and saw the handyman that had quickly become their friend. "Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Oh I just thought I would get a head start on the banister stain."

"Oh. Well."

"Piper go. I'll be home all day. I can watch after Leo." Phoebe smiled at her sister.

Piper looking up, she smiled at Phoebe, but it was a smile that said _'Hands off.'_

"Bye Piper. I'll see you tonight." Phoebe laughed at her sister as she waved goodbye.

Piper walked down to her Jeep as she looked over at Prue at her own car. "Why does she do that?"

"Because she's Phoebe. I'll see you tonight." Prue countered as she got in her sports car and drove to Bucklands.

* * *

Phoebe stood in front of the podium that held her family's heritage: The Book of Shadows. A book that had been passed down through the family since the first witch, Melinda Warren.

She wasn't sure why she was even up there as she turned from page to page. Spells, Demons, potions and Warlocks. A world that she had only thought existed in the pages of story books. It seemed to Phoebe that there was a demon or warlock for just about everything. Not to mention that they could change into what ever they want.

"Phoebe?"

"One second Leo." She called out as she closed the book and made her way downstairs. "Hi."

"Hi. Look I gotta go out for a bit. I should be back within the hour though."

"That's ok. I'll see you later."

"Yeah later." He replied knowing he would be back to watch over his charges.

Soon after he stepped from the Manor he looked back and orbed out.

Phoebe made her way back through the Manor, she reached down and picked up a book, placing it back on the shelf that it had fallen off during the earthquake. How much more was missed placed or fallen down? She reached down for another book, though seeing what it was she sat on the couch and started flipping the pages.

Her mind wandered back as she looked at each picture of her and her sisters, each picture bringing back a memory. She looked down at one as Prue excepted the trophy of her team winning the intramural sports contest on her final year. Phoebe remembered what happened that year as she ran her hand over the picture.

She soon felt the wind churn around her as the feeling of a vortex opened up. Grabbing onto the couch she tried to stop it from happening, but she couldn't. She soon felt the hard impact of her body hitting the hard surface of the ground. Looking around trying to get her barrings but she found her world surrounded by dense forest.

"Ok. Where the hell am I?" she asked herself as she looked around, hearing the sounds of the forest, the birds and the wind and the wild animal growl.


	3. Chapter 3

Prue sat at her desk going over the final paper work on the auction for the next day. Everything seemed in order but she had to make sure it was perfect. She heard her phone ringing but was lost in what she was doing to realize it immediately. "Prue Halliwell." she answered as she picked up the phone though still looking over the list for he auction.

"Is going to be dead if she doesn't get her butt home for dinner."

"Piper?" Prue looked at the clock on her desk, "Oh God I'm so sorry. I.."

"Completely lost track of time. Yeah it appears to be an epidemic." Piper shot back finishing Prues sentence.

"Yeah. Look I'll be home."

"In a matter of minutes would be the right answer." Piper once again finshed her sisters sentence

"Yeah. Hey what did you mean by its an epidemic?" Prue turned her focus on what Piper had said earlier.

"Phoebe. It appears our youngest sister also forgot."

"What? She isn't home?" the worry evident in Prues tone

"That would be the right guess to that statement." Piper replied though almost hearing Prues thoughts. "You don't think?"

"I don't want to Piper but it is possible. I mean we've been pretty quiet lately. The last demon was your wedding crasher."

"Ok I'll look around, maybe she left one of us a note or something in our room."

"Ok I'll be home as fast as the roads will let me at this hour."

"Hurry Prue."

"I will. And you be careful.

"You too. Love you.

"Ditto."

Piper ran up the stairs right into her own room, looking for anything that Phoebe might have left saying where she was. Finding nothing, she crossed the hall to Prues room, again nothing. She soon found her legs rushing up one more flight of stairs into the attic. Resting her hand on the BOS, "Phoebe where are you?"

Prue ran up the steps to the Manor the second she pulled in the driveway. "Piper!?" she called out the minute she opened the door to the Victorian Manor they all shared.

"Nothing Prue. Nothing. No note anywhere. She would have left a note. She would have called." Piper felt her fear esculating inside her.  
"Ok we'll find her. But you need to calm down."

"Calm down? Prue our sister is missing. We have no idea even where to _START _looking. How the hell am I suppose to calm down? Knowing that some demon or something has her."

"Ok Piper we don't know that."

"Yes we do. We just don't want to admit it."

Prue pulled Piper close to her as her sister lost control. She was right. She didn't want to admit what Piper was saying. "Ok. We know they probably want all three of us, they always do."

"So what we wait for them?"

"No. We try and figure it out before they do. BOS? Maybe there is a way to find her with a spell or something." Preu suggested as she tried to calm PIper

"If there is, Phoebe would know it." Piper said quietly as she followed Prue up the stairs.

Prue heard Piper and she knew that she was right. Phoebe may not work, but she was starting to learn the book and everything they needed to know about being witches, and that was something that could one day save their lives.

* * *

Phoebe stood up and looked around the forest trying to pick up on any danger. "Ok so one minute I'm looking at old pictures and the next I'm in what, Africa? And now I'm talking to myself. Ok Phoebe just relax it can't be that bad can it?"

"Over there. Hurry."

She spun around at the sound of the voices. "Or could." She said as she crouched back down trying to stay hidden.

"Come out witch I know you here. I can smell you."

Peering out from behind her tree, though careful not to be seen, she watched as three people moved towards her.

"There she is" one pointed towards her.

Quickly turning, Phoebe ran as fast as she could in the other direction.

"Oh why do they always run?"

"**Get her!**" he ordered as he sent his men after her.

Phoebe ran as fast as her legs would carry her as she dodged through the brush. Pushing back the branches before they smacked into her. She knew they were gaining on her as she pushed herself harder. She didn't know though how much more she could keep going at that pace. Sure Piper and her would go for a run every morning, but it was at their pace and they would usually stop along the water somewhere and just talk about nothing. But she knew she didn't have that option now, now she had to run for her life.

* * *

"Ok can I be the first one to say we are screwed here." Piper threw up her hands in defeat.

"No you can not, because we aren't." Prue shot back as she turned another page in the book.

Piper paced as Prue turned yet another page.

"There has to be something in here that lets us find a lost witch or something like that." Prue slammed her hands down on the book out of frustration.

Piper watched as Prue checked her anger back in. Walking over to Prue she placed her arm around her sisters waist. As soon as Prue turned into Pipers hug the books pages started flipping on their own.

"Ok what?" Piper watched in astonishment as each page flipped by. As they slowed down on one page they both stepped forward to read it. Though only getting one step in before they felt a strong pull from behind them.

"Prue?"

"I don't know, just hang on to me." She yelled back as the wind swirled around them and they felt the vortex closing in.

* * *

Phoebe kept running, though she knew she was about to just collapse. She had to find a place to hide and fast.

The leader stopped, "Wait."

"What wait? We have to get her."

"I know that, but we are also getting to far from the pick up point. You two go back and get the other two. They should be landing shortly." He laughed, "I'll take care of this one. Besides, she is the one with the passive power. I don't think I'll need much help taking her down and bringing her back to the base camp. Now go."

The two quickly made their way back to where they knew the rest of their package would be arriving soon.

"So how was it that we never got all three in the first place again?"

"Because you got to anxious and set the vortex to soon."

"Hey that wasn't my fault."

"Right then you go back and explain to the boss what you did and why we're two witches short. He wants the Charmed Ones and we were supposed to get them all together."

"But we have them all now."

"Ok are you on a completely different page then the rest of us. We don't have any of them yet. And one is out there now running free."

"Oh she isn't that fast. Where can she go? She is in the middle of a jungle and she has no active power. She can't run forever."

"You better hope he catches her or there will be hell to pay."

"We already live in hell. How worse can it get?"

"An eternity in the pit. How's that sound?"

They waited in their usual spot as they watched in delight as the vortex opened once again and shot out the two women they were waiting for.

"Ah our guests have arrived." He walked up to them quickly picking Piper up from the ground holding both her hands behind her back. "Wouldn't want you freezing me now would I?" he laughed as his friend grabbed Prue.

"Piper."

"And don't you try anything either. Or she will pay the price. Now move it." He ordered pointing in the direction that Phoebe had run.

* * *

Air. Pain. That was all Phoebe could think of. Air to her lungs and the pain in her legs and her side. She had managed to find a small hiding place but she didn't know how long it would be until he found her.

With every intact of air she took, she could feel the cramp to her side. She could feel her heart pounding inside her as her legs throbbed with each beat. Ok I have to figure out where I am and how to get the hell out of here.

She suddenly heard a branch cracking behind her and held her breath hoping he wouldn't hear her. He waited and stood in the one spot. She recalled what he had said earlier. He could smell her. Could he really or was he just talking?

But she let out her breath as he started to walk past her. Back the way he had come. She waited a bit longer before slowly peaking out and looking down the forest in the direction he had gone.

Gone. She sighed in relief as she sat back down leaning against the stump she had hidden in.

"Looking for me?" he suddenly had her by the throat as he pulled her to her feet. "You know I really hate it when you witches run." He snarled at her as the saliva dripped freely from his mouth. "But I can fix that." He said as she reached up with his other hand and jabbed something hard into Phoebes arm causing her to scream out in pain.

"Soon that will be cursing through your vein's. It's a little something that paralyzes a person. Or at least I think it does. Actually I've never really seen the final outcome on a witch. I usually kill the person before I get the chance, but I do know you will be going night night very quickly."

Phoebe struggled in his grasp. But the more she moved around the more she realized he was right; She was starting to lose feeling in her legs. She felt her world crashing around her and the strong feeling to vomit right then and there all over him. She fought to keep her eyes open as the ringing in her ears got louder and her head spun, as she soon lost consciousness.

"Oh now this will be fun." He laughed having it echo throughout the forest as he tossed her over his shoulder and made his way through the thick brush.


	4. Chapter 4

Prue didn't even have to spin around at the sound of the cell clanging shut. She had gone in after Piper, backward, so as not to give him the upper hand. "What the hell do you want?"

"All will be explained shortly. Don't be so anxious to die witch." he shot back as he walked away leaving Prue and Piper wondering what was going on

"Where the hell is my sister?!" Prue yelled back out at him, but heard the sound of another door closing and no reply back.

"Prue?"

"We'll figure it out Piper. We have to." Prue answered knowing the question that Piper was going to ask.

"You think this is where Phoebe disappeared to?"

"I'd bet on it." She answered as she tried her power on the door, though getting no movement from it at all. She walked to the far wall she eased herself to the floor. Piper soon joined her as she leaned against the wall with her head tilted back looking up at the ceiling.

"I bet she kicked their asses." Piper laughed.

"She tried anyway. You know I really hate it that she doesn't have an active power." Prue said her concern for her sister showing.

"Prue Halliwell, and here I thought you didn't care."

"Don't be ridiculous Piper. She's my sister, of course I care."

"Oh so your rift is thawing?"

Prue remained silent. Not sure what was going on with her and Phoebe. There were times she wanted to just scream at her, and other times when she wanted to hold her in her arms and protect her forever. Cradling the love she had for her and Piper.

"I don't know." Prue said, "Maybe" she added quietly.

Piper looked over at her sister and could almost see the conflict inside her on her face. She smiled inwardly knowing that what she said was true. It was thawing. "Maybe I should thank the big evil boss for getting you two back to being sisters again."

"Don't push it Piper." Prue laughed though not moving from her spot against the wall.

* * *

He walked into the large building with his prize over his shoulder. "Where are they?"

"Downstairs as he asked."

"Did they give you any trouble?"

"None. You were right, take the younger one and the oldest would fall in line."

"Powers?"

"I think the oldest tried to use hers as I left them, but of course they didn't work."

He kept walking the whole time he was talking to them. Everything was nearly set and the plan in motion. Opening the large metal door he made his way down the dark, dank corridor. As one of the men opened the door he dropped his package on the cell floor. Closing it again quickly and making his way back upstairs. Not saying a word to anyone.

Both sisters looked up at the sound of the main door opening. Looking down the passage as the figure got closer they felt everything in them tighten as he stopped outside their cell door. Watching as it opened as he dumped the body on the floor like it was yesterday's trash, he quickly closed the door and walked away. But they had moved fast when they realized who it was he had dumped on the floor: Phoebe.

Prue quickly pulled her sister close to her as she brushed the hair from her face.

"Phoebe? Sweetie come on honey wake up." She gently said as she hugged her sister close. This was one of those times that Prue wanted to hold Phoebe and protect her.

Piper sat beside Prue as she held on to Phoebe. When she first realized that it was her sister he was bring to them her heart skipped several beats as she held her hand to her mouth to prevent the cry that was about to escape.

"Prue is she?" Piper asked the unfinished question. Afraid if she spoke the words then it would be true.

"No. She's just out cold." Prue answered, taking Pipers hand in hers giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She felt the gentle hand running through her hair, but that was it. The last thing she remembered was that thing holding her above the ground by her neck. His words came back to her as she quickly surveyed her body in her mind. Everything was a fog as she tried to wake up from what ever it was he had given her.

"Phoebe?" Prue looked down at her sister as her eyes started to flutter open

"Come on honey. Fight it."

She heard her sister's voices as she pushed through the fog.

"Pr..Prue? Pi..Piper?"

"We're both right here Phoebs. Keep going you can do it." Prue encouraged her.

Opening her eyes she blinked back the rest of the fog that had over taken her as she looked up into the smiling faces of her sisters. "Hi."

"Hi. Welcome back."

"What?"

"We have no idea. When we came home you weren't there and when we were looking in the Book this vortex pulled us in. Just when we may have found the answer." Piper explained.

"What happen to you?" Prue asked gently as she brush her fingers through her sisters hair.

"I was looking at an old album when this vortex thingy opened. Next thing I know I'm on my ass in some jungle and these three things started chasing me. At first I thought they were people till I got up close to one. He lifted me off the ground like I was a piece of paper and stuck. Oh god."

Prue and Piper looked at Phoebe with new concern.

"What?"

"Whatever it was he said it would paralyze me."

"What!?" they both yelled out

"Move something anything." Piper panicked.

Phoebe looked back up to them. "I can't. I just did. I can't move." The tear started down her cheek.

"Ok honey we'll fix this I promise." Prue pulled her into a hug.

Piper rubbed Phoebes back as Prue embraced their sister.

Sniffing away her tears she nearly melted into Prues arms. "I can feel though."

"What?" Piper asked confused as Prue shifted her sister on to her lap.

"Its weird. I can feel Prues hug and you rubbing my back. I just can't move anything."

"Maybe it's just a temporary thing. Something to..." Prue started

"Stop me from running again." Phoebe finished.

"Maybe. Demons hate it when we run. I don't think they like exercise." Piper added trying to lighten her sister's mood. And she got the result she wanted when a small laugh escaped both her sisters.

"Yeah well this guy could use it. Not to mention a bottle of Listerine. His breath, PHEW!" Phoebe laughed.

Silence fell within the cell walls. As neither sister really knew what to say. Prue continued to hold Phoebe in her lap with Piper sitting beside them. Each one wondering what was going on or what would happen next.

--- ----

The sound of the main door opening woke Prue from her sleep. She gently shock Piper and then Phoebe as they waited for whoever it was to come to them.

"Morning witches. Sleep well?"

"What the hell do you want?" Prue shot back as she took a slight step forward.

"Now. If you come with me that will all be explained."

Prue and Piper both lifted Phoebe from the floor as Prue then used her powers to carry her in her arms.

"You know I think I could get used to this."

"Dream on Sis." Prue shot back at her with a smile, as they followed the man in front of them. As his green and brown scaly skin protruding from every direction.

They stepped into the darkened chamber with very few torches lighting the way.

"Ah the Charmed Ones. I've been waiting for you." He looked over at the three before him. "Now the games can begin."

Prue looked up at him, his ugliness not getting past her. Like the others his green/brown skin protruded around his body. "What did you do to my sister?"

"Well that is something that will all be explained as time goes by."

"Then tell us who the hell you are and what the hell you want." Piper asked with anger.

"Piper, I never thought you the aggressive one."

"I am when my sisters life is threatened." She shot back.

He glared down at them for a moment. "You want to know why you are here? I'll tell you. It's all game. Or should I say games. You will be separated into different teams with some of my demons. Each time you are knocked out of a game you in a sense, die. The only catch is you can only die three times. After that it's permanent. No return ticket to life. You die and I get your power."

The three sisters shared a look of concern. What kind of games are they playing here? And would they have to try and take each other out in order to survive.


	5. Chapter 5

"Piper I can't do this."

"Yes you can Phoebe. You have to."

"Ok, I've just started to get the movement back in my legs and the rest of me. I can not do this."

"Phoebe. We don't have a choice here. You are the best of the three of us at this."

"Ya when I could move around like I was what? 7." Phoebe shot back.

The movement in her legs had only started to return a few hours before, and she was still a bit unsteady.

"Phoebs you ok?" Prue looked over in concern

"I will be once we get out of here."

"Ok so far we've been lucky. We haven't had to face each other yet." Piper said

"Till now." Prue said.

Phoebe sat on the bench as she held her head on her hands. She wasn't sure if she could do this. She was always good at this game as a kid, but she was older now. She had just got movement in her body. She wasn't sure if she could do this again.

"Lets go witches. Time to play." He said as she opened the door before them.

Prue and Phoebe walked from their cell. "Not you. You stay here. This is not your game." He stated as he pushed Piper back to the back of the cell.

"Piper."

"I'll be ok Phoebs. Go and kick some ass." Piper said as she watched her two sister walk away from her, with Prue supporting Phoebe most of the way.

Piper paced back and forth in the cell as she waited for one or both her sister to return.

* * *

Phoebe quickly hit the ground and rolled to her left avoiding yet another energy ball. "Ok that one was close."

"To close Sis."

"How we doing here?"

"Well your team has nine points mine has 10. And the only two left in here are you and me." Prue said as she pulled herself out of the way from another ball herself.

"Ok so one of us is the win for the others team."

"Phoebe let me do it."

"No Prue you've already died once." Phoebe shot her sister a glance as she tucked and rolled across the circle.

"Phoebe I'm not going to let you two die. Besides I get three chances."

"Yeah but the third one is game over. No way."

Prue had no answer back but she knew she wasn't going to let Phoebe get killed. She had once and it had hurt like hell when she got killed and more so when she woke back up. She swore it was to weaken them. In fact she was certain of that. Ever since, she had felt weaker. Both her and Piper had one strike against them. And she had no intentions of letting Phoebe get one. She knew her sister was still suffering the effects of whatever it was they had given her. She could tell even now, she was getting weaker

Phoebe moved away from another strike. She wasn't sure how long she could keep this up. She was starting to feel the effects of her hits to the ground, and she was still fighting off the effects of the drug or whatever it was that thing had given her.

--- ----

He watched with delight as the youngest and oldest ran and dodged the energy balls that were thrown at them. He wasn't surprised that it was the youngest who had yet to have a kill against her. Though he knew she couldn't keep up the pace she had now for much longer.

"She is doing well isn't she."

"Yes. But she will fall today. That drug is handy that way. I can tell from here that she is getting tired."

"Yes but the oldest." He started to speak

"Will protect her. I know. But they are on different teams. They can not intentionally help the other. That would be cheating and we know the consequences of cheating."

"Shall I have the boys get set down stairs?"

"I think that may be in order." He said as he watched the game progress before him.

--- ----

"**PHOEBE!** Look out!" Prue shouted just in time for Phoebe to hit the ground again. Though this time she could tell that she was slower getting up.

"Thanks Prue." She yelled back over her shoulder. Though as she looked across she saw what was about to happen. She wasn't gonna make it. She wasn't even gonna have a chance.

"**PRUE! NO!!!"** she yelled as she quickly dove at her sister. Pushing her out of the way and taking the full impact of the energy ball on her back.

Prue heard Phoebe yell and then she suddenly felt the impact of something crashing into her and then flying through the air. The ground meeting her as the air rushed out of her stomach, as the she then felt the body land on her.

She tried to pull herself around as their bodies twisted together.

"Phoebe! Oh God no. Why? I told you not to. Why couldn't you just listen to me for once in your life." Prue cradled Phoebe in her arms as the blank stare looked back at her. Prue ran her hand over Phoebes eyes closing them. Even though she knew her sister would come back to her she needed to protect them.

"**GAME!"** the announcer called out as Prues team jumped up and cheered at the victory they had.

She cradled Phoebe in her arms as her tears ran down her face. Everything they had ever done together. The times they had missed because of some stupid fight. She felt the arms pulling her from the ground

"**NO!** **Let me go**." She yelled as they pulled her back down the passage.

"She'll be along shortly. You know that. Besides, you scored another win for us. At this rate you'll be going home soon."

She turned over her shoulder trying to see what would become of her sister. But as she left the playing area the wall blocked her vision. The last thing she saw was her baby sister being picked up off the ground by the same thing that had dumped her in the cell that first day.

* * *

Piper had lost track how many times she had paced back and forth. She tried to sit but she only managed a few seconds as she got back up and paced again. The sound of the main door opening drew her attention to the bars as she looked down the passage. She saw two guards walking someone down through the darkness. At first she couldn't tell who it was, until they got closer.

"Oh God Phoebe." She said as she looked into Prues eyes. Prue wasn't even in the cell completely when Piper threw her arms around her.

Prue wrapped her arms around Piper as they made their way further back. "She'll be ok Piper."

"She was the only one."

"I know. She did it to save me though." Prue pulled back and told Piper how Phoebe had taken the blow for her. "It was meant for me Piper. There was no way that I would have even seen that thing coming."

"Oh god. Prue they can't let her go through that alone."

"They won't. None of us did. They said they would bring her."

"I hope so. That was scary not to mention painful. I can't imagine if I had to go through that without you two here."

Prue pulled her close knowing what Piper was feeling. Once you woke, the pain of the fatal hit you took rang through your body wearing you down. It had taken her two days to finally get her strength up. Piper had taken almost a day. She hoped that with each game it didn't take longer. If so, Phoebe would be in for along painful three days.

The door clanged open, as Prue quickly looked up down the hall. One body making its way towards them. She heard the lock click and the door open.

"Phoebe." Piper whispered as he placed her on the floor just inside.

Both sisters quickly made their way to their fallen sister.

"Come on lets get her over to the cot." Prue gently picked her up and placed her on the one small cot they had in the room.

A day went by and no change.

"Prue I'm scared."

"I know, so am I. But we have to believe she'll come back to us."

"Why do they do this? Do they get their kicks laughing at us when we hurt?" Piper yelled out in frustration.

"I don't know." Prue looked up at Piper and then back down to Phoebe. Her pale features from her death were almost more then she could take.

Piper kept yelling. Prue got up and placed her arms around her.

"We'll work it out Piper. We have to."

A blood-curdling scream soon broke through the walls around them startling both sisters as they quickly ran to Phoebes side as she cried out in pain.

"Ok Phoebe just lay still. It helps." Prue told her as she placed a gentle hand on her sister holding her down.

"It. Hurts." She cried as the pain got too much for her. "Make. It. St..top."

"I know sweetie, but if you don't move it won't be as bad." Prue told her as she wiped away the escaping tear.

How long had it been? Two days? Three? Prue lost count of the days as they took turns sitting with Phoebe overnight. She looked at Piper who had fallen asleep next to Phoebe. Her one arm placed gently over top of Phoebes stomach.

"Hi." Phoebe said weakly as she looked up at Prue.

"Hi yourself. How you doing?" she ran her hand over the top of her sisters head.

"I'm not sure. Its better then it was. I just feel weak right now."

"Yeah, I think I figured that part out. With each game the death is more sever. That is why it takes longer and the pain more intense. I would lay bets that with each death its longer again."

"That is why the third death it's game over." Phoebe realized what her sister was saying.

"That's what I'm thinking."

"So now what. We all have one. I don't want to go through that again Prue. I can't." Phoebe explained as her tears escaped again.

"We just need to find the answer before it's to late." Prue told her as she brushed the matted hair back from Phoebes face.

* * *

He sat at his desk waiting for him to answer the summons. He didn't even turn around when he heard the door open.

"It has been three days."

"I know."

"Should I take her to them?"

He waited before he said anything else. "Take her." He finally told him. "And be sure to tell them what happens when you cheat. If she dies with them she is not coming back." He finished as he continued to stare out his window.


	6. Chapter 6

They sat together on the small cot with Phoebe in the middle leaning against Piper.

"Phoebe when we get out of here. I'm so going to kick your ass." Prue said not moving as she had her head leaning on the wall

"Yeah ok. And I'll have Andy arrest you for assault."

"Andy. He is probably freaking out right about now. We had a date last night that I have missed for unexplained reasons once again."

"Prue you should just tell him."

"It's not that easy Phoebe."

"Why not? Prue he has known you you're whole life. He knows the real you. Who knows, maybe he'll surprise you."

"Maybe." Prue answered as she leaned against the wall. _'Maybe Phoebe was right'_ she thought to herself.

The sound of the door opening at the end of the hall was enough to make them all look up.

"Prue I can't, not yet." Phoebe grabbed a hold of her sisters' arms.

"Ok. We'll figure it out." Prue said, with more confidence then she really had. If they wanted to make them play again so soon she wasn't sure if she could stop it form happening.

They looked on as their door swung open and two came in their cell.

"You broke the rules. Now you must pay the consequences."

"Rules what rules?" Piper shot back, as her and Prue stood in front of Phoebe. She had a bad feeling that this had something to do with what happened in the last game.

"She intentionally saved a member of the other team. That is breaking the rules. She should be the one with two strikes." He pointed at Prue.

"Look, I didn't know, it was instinct. She's my sister I just reacted." Phoebe explained giving her trademark I'm sorry smile.

He reached forward and pushed Prue and Piper back away from Phoebe. Though neither one was going to let him take her.

"Piper."

Piper threw up her hands freezing everyone in the room.

"Ok so why didn't we think of that before?" Phoebe asked as she took Prues hand and they ran from the cell area.

"Because they always had one of us in their slimy claws." Piper shot back as they ran down the passage. "And Last time Prue tried her powers they didn't work."

"Though thast was on a door Piper." Prue said as held on to Phoebe and started to led the way .

"Ok guys where are we going once we get out of here?" Phoebe asked again as she followed after her sister.

"First we get out of here and then we worry about that Phoebs." Prue answered as she practically dragged her sisters behind her.

They ran through the main door only to run right into something very large and very ugly. "Phoebe. Didn't you learn the first time what running will get you?"

Prue pushed Phoebe back and glared at him throwing her powers right into his chest. Though all he did was act as if it was a mere slap in the face.

He reached out for Phoebe, getting close enough that his smell almost enough to make her want to vomit right then. "You're powers are no good on me Prue. Now give me Phoebe and I will make this as quick as possible."

"If you think we're just gonna turn her over you are sadly mistaken."

"Then I will take her." He said calmly as his body suddenly grew larger, as the girls stepped back in horror to what was happening. As his body seemed to morph into something more hideous then before. The slim oozed from his skin as two more arms protruded from his side. Arms, that moved with sudden quickness, throwing Prue and Piper across the room, in one swipe.

"**Phoebe!"** Piper yelled out only to have someone lifting her off the ground as well. It was one of the guards that she had frozen in the cell earlier.

"You broke the rules. Now you must pay." He slammed the back of his hand across her face nearly snapping her neck, but only hard enough to send her world into darkness.

"**Phoebe!"** Prue called out only to be held back.

He glared back at them as they were tossed back in their cell. "She as a date with the young ones. If she can survive, I will bring her back to you to nurse back to health. If she does not survive. I will bring back her body. For if she dies with them, she gets no third chance. Her game will be over."

"**NOOOO! PHOEBE!"** Piper yelled out as he disappeared from the doorway with their sister over his shoulder.

Prue watched in horror as what he said started to sink in.

"Prue. I can't." Piper felt her body slowly lower to the ground, as her legs no longer would hold her own body weight up.

Prue wrapped her arms around Piper as her sister collapsed to the floor. The tear running down both the faces. "We won't lose her Piper. She is to stubborn to die."

* * *

He stopped them before they descended the stairs.

"What happened?"

"Thy tried to escape."

"Well that was not really surprising. Are they ready for her?"

"Eager Draco. Do you want your usual from the first draw?"

"Yes. The blood of a witch should satisfy my hunger for awhile. Especially one of the Charmed Ones. You know in some ways I hope she makes it."

He looked into his Masters eyes. There was something there. Something he had not seen in nearly two hundred years. "Master?"

"They are all skilled at certain tasks my friend. But she would have been quiet something to watch in the final game."

He looked down at the witch in his arms seeing the same thing that his Master saw. Her spark was something none of them had seen in some time. "I have a feeling that we will see that final game master. I think I see the same you do, but I fear that if she does. She could win the game."

"Though we have seen that before. And they didn't last ten minutes with them."

"I remember. I was one of them, and I have taught the younger ones well."

"I know. Take her." he motioned with his hand as his friend and servant opened the door to the caverns below. "And leave the door open. I want her sisters to hear her screams." He finished as he stepped away turning his back on what was to come.

* * *

She heard muffled voices as her world went in and out. The pain to her face was screaming out at her, but the next thing she felt was her body hitting the hard ground, as she tumbled down what felt like a wet, muddy ramp, and crashing to the bottom. She lay there not moving, as her world was still a fog in her mind. She remembered looking in the eyes of whatever that thing was, as she felt the slim on her skin.

In the distance she thought she heard laughter. But it was not the laughter of children or even adults. This was more sinister. More evil. She slowly pushed herself up against the wall behind her.

"No escape witch." Came a cry in the darkness. She thought she saw something glow to her right but the voice was to her left.

She could hear more laughter and then something brushed against her. She spun to her left thinking that was the direction it had gone. Then she felt the pain in her side. Something had struck her. Placing her hand to her side she could feel the warmth of her own blood gushing out.

Suddenly she felt them on her. Clawing at her as she tried to fling them off as she felt another hit to her side. She finally managed to throw one off her. The small-lighted explosion was all she saw briefly as she noticed them back away, and almost cry at the light.

She watched as they nearly pulled back into the dark. She thought of something to defend herself with until another came. Fast and hard knocking her to the ground. She felt her world spin as he struck her over and over. She felt her world going black, but she fought to stay awake. She fought to save her life. She once again felt the object from before slam into her side as more blood was shed.

She felt herself being lifted off the ground and carried further into the caverns as she felt all her energy leaving her as they tossed her on the ground.

She didn't even want to now what would happen next.

"Now you die witch. But no coming back from here. No. Now you die and never come back."

She felt the pain of something striking her. Then again. Feeling more and more. As she knew numerous beings where striking her with something, as the whip cut through her skin. Then just as suddenly it stopped.

She wanted to give in but something was telling her to hang on, as her thoughts went out to her sisters.

Water. She felt the rush as it entered her lungs quickly and suddenly. She tried to fight it off but they held her tight. They were small and remarkably fast. She didn't even know how long it went on for. Beating, water, heat, burns. They were trying to break her, that she knew, and do it slowly.

As fast as it began it stopped. She felt her hands being tied in front of her as she forced herself to stay awake. She knew if she gave into the sleep she would die. She would have no way of fighting back. It was like they wanted her to fight back. And being the person she was, she gave them the fight they wanted. She was proud that she had managed to take out as many as she had in her state. But now she had the tables turned as they bound her hands and hung her up towards the ceiling.

"Tell us who we are and we will set you free. That is the game." One said from the dark again.

She tried to look down at them as she swung from the ceiling. Every know and then, from the dark, she would feel the pain of something hitting her. She wasn't sure how long she could hang on for.

"**TELL US**!" One yelled, as suddenly the searing pain went through her as she felt the piercing pain enter her side and the following pull of something retracting from her.

Her screams could be heard throughout the compound. Traveling up the stairs and through the halls. Sending chills down her sisters' spines.

They had heard the cries over and over, the screams of pain that echoed throughout the walls. But after the last one they heard nothing. As long as they heard Phoebe scream, they knew she was still alive.

But the sudden silence after her last scream scared them more then anything they had faced so far. The thought of losing their sister was more then they wanted to think about. But the silence continued. Continued to cast a shadow on their world.


	7. Chapter 7

Prue held Piper in her arms, she was too afraid herself to even think straight. As much as Phoebes cries of pain pained her, no sound was killing her. She wanted to know what was going on. She needed to know.

Piper cried softly in her sisters' arms as her thoughts went out to her sister, somewhere hurt and scared. Everything about being a witch suddenly wasn't all that important. She just wanted her sister back and for the three of them to be at home safely.

* * *

He had watched everything from his perch in the underground they had lived in. He watched as she struck back, as she even killed some. No one had ever been able to do that before, but he could see she had figured something out. 

He watched as one approached in the dark, just making out his feet running through the mud and slim. As the young one approached him he at first didn't move, then slowly bent down.

He took the cup that was offered to him as he listened as the young one whispered in his ear. He stood and looked out through the darkness as the body hung from the ceiling. Even from that distance he could smell her blood. The blood on her body as it ran down her. He took the cup to his lips and drank the contents. It was just enough to sooth his bloodthirsty needs. That and seeing hers. Seeing her pain. It was who he was. He waved the young one off as he looked once again at her before walking away.

* * *

Prue and Piper had finally fallen into a light sleep. Though Prue slept fitfully, her thoughts of her sisters invaded her mind. She was startled awake at the slamming of the cell door. She turned to the sound, only to gasp in horror at the site before her. "**Phoebe!** Oh my god. What did they do to you?"

Prues sudden action caused Piper to sit up suddenly as she watch Prue run to the cell door. Though Prue was blocking her site she could hear her words and knew what it was or more who it was, that had suddenly gotten the eldest moving so quickly.

Prue gently lifted Phoebes head to her lap as she brushed the mud from her face and pushed her hair from her around her face. She could see the large gash above her sisters' eye, and as she held her as she felt Piper approaching them. her sobs as loud as Prues.

"Prue. What? What did they do?"

"I don't know."

"Is she?" Piper couldn't get herself to even ask the unsaid question. She didn't want to hear the answer.

Prue picked up Phoebe and a placed her with care on the small cot that her and Piper had shared only a few moments before. "Piper get me that towel over there. Hurry."

Piper grabbed the towel as she quickly ran back to Prue and Phoebe. Handing it to Prue as her sister tried to stop the blood seeping from her sister. "Prue we need more towels."

"I know, but what are we suppose to do? Go down to the store and buy some." Prue snapped back, her fear getting the best of her.

Piper looked across at Prue, hurt by her words but knowing that Prue didn't mean it. her older sister was just as scared as she was.

Piper got up and moved to the bars. "**Can we at least get some towels and clean water down here!**?" she yelled out, hoping someone somewhere would hear her.

She was received with silence. No sound of any movement as she turned in frustration back to her sisters. She sat on the floor beside Phoebe and ran her hand over the top of her head. "Phoebe don't you leave us. You got us into this witchy stuff. We are going through it together and for a lot longer then a few months." Piper whispered as she rested her head on the edge of the bed. Taking in her baby sisters' features.

They hadn't even heard the door open from down the hall or the door to their cell. "I told you I would bring her back one way or the other." He said nonchalant as he dropped the bundle of towels to the floor along with a bucket of water.

Prue looked up and used her power on him watching him again only take it as a slap.

"Feel better?" he asked though the smile on his face was enough that she knew he didn't mean it. But she soon focused her attention back to her youngest sister as Piper got up and picked up what he had left for them

"Like I said before. If she dies at their hands there is no more chances." He almost laughed as he closed the final door leaving them to their own fate.

Prue did what she could to clean the wounds to Phoebe. There was so many she wasn't even sure where to start. So she started at her face and worked down. Cleaning off the mud and slim that covered her body, mixed in with the blood it looked as if Phoebe had been in a war zone.

"Prue we have to save her."

"We will Piper." Prue answer as she came across the large hole in Phoebes side. One that she could tell had been stabbed with something and then pulled back out. It was there that she couldn't get the bleeding to stop.

Every towel that was left was now lying in a heap on the floor at the foot of the bed. Both sisters doing everything they could to help Phoebe, but for now they had done everything they could. All they could hope for now was a miracle.

* * *

"Draco. We have given them the towels and water. Is there anything else?"

"That is all for now."

He stepped back towards the door before hesitating a moment, "you want to her to live don't you?" he asked with caution.

Draco waited as he stared out to his own little world. His piece of the world. "I'm not sure. But she has something that no one else has."

"She is a Charmed One."

"No, its more then that. I can almost sense evil in her."

He turned to his master. "Evil sir?"

"Evil. Somewhere deep inside. How else would she have been able to kill some of them? How else would she have gotten the answer so soon?" he asked though he knew the answer.

"Because she is a Charmed One."

"No. There is more here then either one of us can imagine." He said though he was still leery on what he thought. Maybe there was hope for evil winning.

* * *

They had taken shifts throughout the night doing what they could for Phoebe. Piper ran her hand through Phoebes hair as she took a quick glance at Prue curled up on the floor in the corner. She had practically ordered her sister to get some sleep. She had fought her in every way she could but Piper had finally won in the end. And as soon as Prue was lying down she was out like a light.

"Phoebe. Don't you leave me." Piper said as she watched her sister sleep or whatever it was she was doing. "I remember that night you came home. I saw something in Prues eyes when she saved you from Javna. I watched her as we drove there, she was so scared. Though I know she would never admit it. One thing I will admit is when you read that incantation. Sure it brought a world to us of unspeakable danger and demons and evil. But it brought us all closer together. Especially you two. Funny how evil could do what I was trying to do for the last 22yrs."

Piper held her hand on the towel to her sister's wound. The blood taking a slow down to what it was earlier. "You hang on Phoebs. Don't ever give up." Piper said as she curled herself around Phoebe from beside her as she fought to stay awake.

--- ----

Pain was all she felt, as she screamed out startling Piper who lay asleep beside her and Prue who had been sitting beside her.

"Phoebs. Calm down honey you're safe now. Just relax." Prue eased, as she ran her hand over the top of Phoebes head.

Four days now. It had been four days since he had brought her back. And until now they had had no sign that she was coming back. But now as the scream shock them all they had new hope.

--- ----

Despite everything that was going on he would still come for one of them to play in the games.

Piper was tossed back in the cell as she instantly went to Phoebe. "How is she?"

"The same." Prue answered, though thankful that Piper had survived another game.

--- ----

Soon it got more difficult, as Piper was nursing both sisters. And she hoped that the next time they took her that she would hold them off. They couldn't afford anymore deaths.

* * *

He waited five more days, since Prues death. He knew Phoebe was getting stronger, though if a slow process, but he needed their powers. He needed the win. Even he had enemies, and if he lost this one last game he knew what would become of him. An eternity in the eternal pit. They had surprised him in their abilities even with the youngest condition still uncertain.

"Master. Where are you going?"

"I must go to them."

"You can not. What if they recognize you from their book?"

"They are new. They have not yet seen all their book has to offer them. I need to face them at the time of their final end. They all play this game. No matter what their condition."

He walked with his head held high. He knew he had the final game in hand. It was just a matter of time; Time for the witch's death.

He stood outside the cell as he watched them caring for her. She was still weak he could see that, but she was still the only one to ever defeat them. "The final match is here witches. Tomorrow at sunrise you will all play for your lives."

Prue looked up at him, "No, Phoebe is still to weak. We can't."

"**YOU WILL!** " he yelled back. "The games will go on, and your sister will play." He finished turning around on them.

Piper watched as he yelled at Prue. But her concern was to Phoebe, she was in no condition to keep going. "Prue."

"I don't know Piper." Prue said knowing what she would say.

"Prue you are the only one with two strikes."

"I know Piper, but I do know that after this final game no matter what: He will kill whoever is left."

Piper locked eyes with Prue before wrapping her arms around Phoebe who lay asleep on the cot. They would not lose this. But the game only called for one winner. The question now was, who would go home and who would be left behind?


	8. Chapter 8

Prue sat with Phoebe as she lay awake in her arms. "You ok sweetie?"

"It hurts Prue." She answered shakily; her fever had not yet gone down from the wound she had sustained.

"I know baby, we will get you out of here. And tomorrow we will work this out. I promise.

Phoebe looked up at Prue not really sure if she believed her or not. They had been through so much in the last few months she wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

Piper watched her two sisters. She had to laugh in spite of the situation they were in, as Prue looked down at Phoebe with more love in her eyes then Piper had seen in some time.

Piper looked out and watched the sunrise above the horizon. She knew what would come next and she wasn't really prepared for it. But as the main door opened she watched as Phoebe wrapped her arms around Prue. She knew that she wasn't ready and Phoebe knew that too. but what where they going to do to stop it. Last time they _'cheated'_ Phoebe almost died, and could still.

"The time is now witches." Was all he said as he held the door open for them to exit. "Time to end this game once and for all." He finished as he watched them make their way to the stairs. The older two helping the youngest with each careful step. "Soon the game will be over." He laughed to himself.

* * *

Prue sat in the woods with the rest of her team. Her thoughts went out to Piper and Phoebe. She knew that her sisters were as scared as she was maybe more. Piper was never one for the game they had been playing and were about to play, and Phoebe was still hurt really bad. She could move around a bit but she tired very easily and Prue knew that would make her an easy target. But then again, her baby sister was always one to surprise you when you least expected it. _Though some how_, Prue thought, _this was not going to be one of those times_.

Prue felt her rage growing the more she thought of what they had done to Phoebe. She hadn't really spoken much about it since she had woken. Every time she went to she would start to break down at the memory. She knew if she ever got her hands on the man in charge she would give him a bitch slapping like he had never seen before.

--- ----

Piper just wanted to get up and run. Run to Prue and take Phoebe in their arms and find a way home. Phoebe. Piper closed her eyes as the memory of the site of her baby sister when they had brought her back to their cell that first night. The site of the blood and the mud covering her body was nearly too much for Piper to take.

She never liked this game, though it was Phoebes favorite, even after the loss that one-year. She thought of how they were going to finish this all in one piece.

--- ----

Phoebe lay on the ground trying to get some more sleep, though with all the chatter around her, she wasn't getting much. She knew that they had just as much to lose as she did. Maybe more.

She thought back to the fight of her life, the pain she felt as she defended herself to them. She had really surprised them though when she knew who they were. But the main thing was she knew how to get rid of them, and it was something she would use over the next few days she was certain.

Her ribs cried out as she rolled over, as the gash to her side pulled taught on her skin with each movement. She wasn't sure how long she would last. She turned her mind back to the games that they had played as kids. She was always liked for her size. Small and fast.

"We lost Zontar earlier today."

"**WHAT!?"**

"He was the best hope we had."

"I know."

"Ok so what now? There aren't many of us left. One team has a time freezing witch and the other can move things with her mind."

"We have to win this game or we end up in the pit."

Phoebe lay there listening to them bicker back and forth. She knew that this Zontar was their best hope of winning. But she had given the fact if she lost then one of her sisters would win. Then she remembered that Prue had only one death left. She couldn't let her sister die. But how could she stop Prue from getting killed?

She had to play. She had to play the part in the plan that was Zontars. She had to get the box before anyone else. "I can do it." She said quietly.

They all turned to her after she had spoken. Until now she had been quiet. Playing decoy as they found their way to the box.

"You?"

"You can't even run that fast since your time with the young ones." One laughed out.

"My sisters won't hurt me. Piper can't freeze me at all. And Prue won't throw me."

"She's right you know."

"She can't take the box." He shot back trying to get something through to them all.

Phoebe listened as they argued back and forth. But as they did she realized something that they weren't revealing. The box was the answer. The answer to get them all out. Some how, she just wasn't sure yet, but she would figure it out.

--- ----

Prue ran through the brush though knowing that she had at least three of those things chasing her. She had two strikes on her and she had no intentions of giving them the glory of killing her.

She ran down the small path and ducked in behind some trees. Looking around for anything to defend herself with she grabbed a large stick and waited. When the first one rounded the corner she jumped out and slammed the stick through his chest; at least she hoped it was his chest.

As she stood there starring into his pained eyes as he soon fell to his knees, looking up at Prue almost laughing.

Prue spun around throwing the advancing demon away from her. She had to get away and fast. She recognized the insignia on there shirts of one of Pipers teammates. She wanted to find out how Piper was doing, but she couldn't risk getting killed again.

As she leaped over the fallen tree she felt herself being pulled to the ground with a hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

--- ----

Phoebe stayed hidden in the underbrush most of the day. She watched as different teams ran by her, no one even noticed she was there. She had inched her way along the ground with precision and ease, but all she really wanted was her sisters and sleep. She needed sleep. Her wound was throbbing in her side and hurt like hell, but she was formulating a plan in her head and with every inch she got closer to the box she saw her way home. Back to the Manor.

She saw her target and she decided that now was the best time to act as she leaped forward to grabbed it.

* * *

"Where is she?" one cried out

"She was captured." Someone answered

"She was our only hope. Even if she was a witch."

"I know. But maybe theres another." The leader acknowledged thought knowing now, their own fate.

"No one is small enough and quick enough." Someone argued, but then no one spoke. It was as if everyone understood what was said. They had just seen their own deaths.

Silence fell on the team. They had lost their last chance.

* * *

Piper stayed hidden in the trees as another patrol from another team went by her. Decoy, that was just great. They were trying to get her killed that much she knew. Send her out there so the rest of us can find the prize. She looked back and never understood how her sister could love this game so much.

She finally came out of her hiding place and looked around. She threw up her hands when she noticed that two of the other team members had been waiting for her.

"Ok that was close." She said to no one as she turned and ran the other way. Though in her haste she didn't see the log that she fell over. Feeling the air escape from her lungs she tried to get her breath back, though it was a slow process. Then as she was about to stand she felt something over her mouth as she was picked up from the ground and hurried to the side brushes. She fought, but whoever it was was stronger then her and they soon had her right where they wanted her to be. With them, and the game would now be over.


	9. Chapter 9

Prue tried to fight back from the person that had pulled her down but they were lying on top of her with their hand over her mouth. But she quieted down when she heard footsteps running by her. She didn't know who she was with but she knew the ones in the path were not going to just hold her quiet. They would kill her and that would be it. So she stopped moving and waited until they ran past.

As soon as she knew it was safe she slammed her right elbow up hard into the ribs of the person who had grabbed her. Though the sound she got was not one she expected.

Prue quickly pushed the body off her own and rolled over to look into the pained face of her youngest sister. "Phoebe. Oh my god I'm so sorry." Prue reached over for her sister as she lay there clutching her ribs in pain. "I didn't know it was you. Oh sweetie I'm so sorry." Prue apologized again as she held her sister close to her.

Phoebe wanted to cry out as she felt the elbow slam into her ribs. It was of course the same side that she still had her initial wound from her time with the creatures below. She held her arms across her ribs hoping that would stop the pain, but it didn't. What it did do was stop the blood from flowing as she felt the damp stickiness of her wound being re-opened.

Phoebe curled into Prues arms as she felt her big sisters warmth and love around her. Holding her to ease the pain she was in. But she didn't have time for the pain she had Prue now they had to get Piper.

"Piper."

"Easy their Supergirl. Just rest a minute then we can both go find Piper." Prue ordered as she held Phoebe in her arms

Phoebe got up unsteadily as she placed her hand on the nearby tree. "No. We need to find her now. I know what needs to be done but its gonna take all of us to do it." Phoebe explained as she stepped forward into the thicker brush.

Prue stepped up to her sister and placed her arm around her waist giving her the support she needed. She saw and felt the blood on Phoebes shirt but she knew that her sister would press on until she found Piper.

Phoebe quickly stopped in her tracks and pulled Prue after her. She didn't say a word only pointed to her right.

Prue looked over to where Phoebe was pointing and saw why: Piper.

"She." Prue was about to say something, when Phoebe placed her hand over her mouth and put her other hand over her own to indicate hush.

Phoebe pulled Prue down as the hunters from the other teams were chasing Piper.

"Prue we have to help her." Phoebe said as she watched Piper running from her would be captures.

Prue saw the look in Phoebes eyes and knew that her sister was scared for Piper more so then herself.

"Ok. I'll go get her. You stay right her and don't you move." Prue said as she made her way towards where Piper was heading.

Prue watched as Piper froze the demons that were chasing her and turned to run away but she fell over the log that was partially covered with leaves, sticks, grass and moss. As soon as she fell Prue quickly got up and pulled her up and then pulled her into the safety of the brush she was hiding underneath.

Piper fought at the hands that held her down to the ground as she tried everything to get away. She would not die her second death and let her sisters' face whatever it was without her. But to her surprise when she used her powers nothing happen.

"Piper would you stop it already?" Prue whispered in her ear.

"Prue?" Piper stopped fighting as she looked over her shoulder to meet her big sister's eyes.

"Hi. Are you done?"

"What the hell are you doing? You know what will happen if they find out that you helped me. Look at Phoebe in case you forgot."

"It's not like that."

"No it is. You can not help me. I will not watch another sister go through that. It was to much for me to go through the first time."

"Piper it isn't like that. Come with me. Then you'll understand." Prue said taking her hand she made her way back to Phoebe.

Piper followed Prue, though not really sure what was going on as she came around the last tree. She looked ahead of herself at the site before her.

"Phoebe. Oh god." Piper went to her sister as she pulled her to her. "Oh baby. What happen."

"I hit her. But before you fly off the handle, I thought she a demon that had grabbed me. I swung back and hit her. I didn't know it was her." Prue explained as she sat beside her sister.

Prue looked down by her sisters. Her heart went out to both of them. One still hurt and the other worrying about the youngest. She had to get them out of here. Wherever here was.

Piper looked down at Phoebe in her arms and wondered where her sister had found the strength to keep going. "Phoebs. You ok sweetie?"  
"I will be once we find that stupid thing and get out of here."  
"Ok well first we also have to stay alive and not let anyone see us together." Prue agreed."  
"Not to mention finding what ever this box is." Piper added  
"I know where it is." Phoebe said as she sat up and looked at both her sisters.  
"What? Then why?" Piper asked though not finishing  
"Didn't I take it and get this over with?" Phoebe finished for her, "Because its gonna take more then just me to lift that thing and take it in."

Prue listened to her sister and then realized what was happening, or supposed to happen. "Guys no matter what we can not get killed in here."  
"Prue you are the only one with two hits." Piper reminded her.  
"I know, but this is also the final _'game'_. We aren't meant to bring that thing in for our team."  
"We are meant to die for our team." Phoebe finished for her.  
"And die for good. No coming back." Piper added, as they all started to see what Prue had.

--- ----

They made their way through the brush together with Phoebe leading the way. They had only encountered one demon thus far but Prue knew that it would not last long.

Phoebe stopped abruptly and quickly pulled her sisters down to the ground out of site. "There wasn't that many around before." She whispered as she watched the demon guards.  
"Well there is now. Any ideas?" Prue said though not taking her eyes off those before them.  
"I have one." Phoebe answered as she slowly inched a few feet from her sisters and closer to their intended target.

Before Prue or Piper could do anything Phoebe suddenly stood up and yelled out.

"Hey ugly. You looking for me?" Phoebe hollered as she waited for them to come to her. One thing she had learned in the few months they had been witches. Was that most demons weren't too bright in the brain department, and has she had hoped they all came running towards her.

She waited not moving, _'A little closer. Come on.'_ She thought to herself.

"Prue what the hell is she doing? Trying to get killed?" Piper went to go to Phoebe and start running, but felt Prue hold her back. "Hello Prue sister in trouble out there."  
"Hang on I think I know what she is up to." Prue answered, though she was ready to yell at Phoebe herself for pulling something so crazy.

Phoebe waited for that one last second that was nearly one to many as she quickly dropped to the ground as an energy ball flew past her head.

"Ok now would be good Piper!" She called out from her spot.

Piper jumped out from her hiding spot and threw up her hands to freeze them. Though nothing happened.

"PIPER!"  
"It's not working!" she shot back to Prue, who was now standing beside her.  
"Well try again!" Prue yelled as she watched the demons getting closer to Phoebe.  
"I am. Stop yelling at me!" Piper screamed back as she kept trying her power.

Phoebe rolled to her left hoping to avoid any energy balls that they would throw at her to the ground. She felt the impact of her back hitting something hard, either a rock or a fallen tree. She had seen Piper trying to use her powers but for some reason it wasn't working. She risked one last glance to the ascending demons and watched helplessly as an energy ball came straight at her.


	10. Chapter 10

Prue couldn't take it anymore as she glared at the energy ball that was flying towards Phoebe and moved it with her mind. Sending it crashing into a tree that came crashing down onto the demons in the front of the pack.

Phoebe had closed her eyes when she saw what was about to happen and braced for the pain of the impact and her own eventual death. But she slowly opened her eyes in time to see the tree falling on the demons. "Take that." she smiled looking over at her sisters.

"Get over here!" Prue ordered as Piper tried again to freeze the demons, this time succeeding.

Phoebe got up slowly and ran over to her sisters. "Come On." She grabbed Piper by the hand and made her way quickly to the prize they needed to save their lives. All three of them.

Prue and Piper followed after her and stopped when they saw the size of the box.

"See know why I couldn't carry it alone. I think it's meant for whatever that thing is to carry. See the four handles and where they are? For each one of his arms or whatever."

"So how do we get it out of here?" Piper asked as she placed a hand on one side of the box and tried to lift it, though just barely off the ground.

"We do it together. I mean technically it isn't cheating. Neither one of us could lift that thing alone. Except maybe Prue with the help of her power." Phoebe added. "So we all take it and cross together."

Prue looked across to Piper who shrugged her shoulders. "Ok. Lets go then." Prue said as they all lifted together.

Piper and Phoebe at one end and Prue, with the aid of her power at the other end, they were quickly making their way through the brush.

"You think you could have waited a bit longer to freeze those guys Piper?"

"Phoebe I already told you. They were out of my range, remember the bridesmaids from hell? Same problem. My power doesn't work from that far away." Piper shot back. "Besides what you did was reckless and irresponsible. You could have been killed."

"Well someone had to do something and I didn't see you volunteering any ideas."

"Would you two stop it already? The more bickering you do the longer it's gonna take to get this thing back." Prue shot them both a glare. "And that little stunt you pulled Phoebe we will discuss later, now come on."

--- ----

Another night fell, as the sliver of a moon gave no light to those below. They sat around waiting to hear any word. The sparkle of the fire the only light they had

"None of the teams know where they are."

"Well they have to be here somewhere."

"Maybe they are dead. This is their time you know."

"Sshhh, do not speak of them. I for one do not want a visit."

"Just keep together here and we will be ok."

Nothing at first as they each found into their own thoughts.

"I don't give the witches long on their own with them." someone finally said.

"It bad enough we have to be cautious of the other team. But now to worry about them as well."

* * *

Phoebe leaned against one side of Prue as Piper did the same on the other side, as they all leaned up against the box.

"How you feeling Phoebs?"

"I'm ok Prue." She lied. Her ribs were sore from where Prue had hit her. Her back was sore from the rock or whatever it was the rolled into and her wound to her side was killing her.

"No she isn't Prue." Piper answered from the other side.

"I am too. And tomorrow we get this thing out of here and then we all go home." Phoebe shot back. She was tired on top of everything else and just wanted to go to sleep.

Prue looked down at Phoebe to her side, "Phoebs you have to tell us when your hurt. We can slow down the pace in the morning."

"I know and I will." She gave in without a fight as she snuggled against her sister and closed her eyes.

Piper sat next to Prue thinking about what they were gonna do.

"She'll be ok Piper." Prue said almost knowing what her sister was thinking.

"I know. I just worry."

"And here I thought that was my job."

"With her I think its both our jobs."

--- ----

Prue almost held her breath hoping that it would make her hear better as she turned ever so slightly to the place the sound had come. She thought she heard laughter. Though it was the laughter of children.

She nudged Piper awake but held her fingers to her mouth indicating to be quiet, then she did the same thing to Phoebe.

"The fire. Prue you let it go out." Phoebe quickly got up and tossed some branches back on the small fire to get it going again. But as she reached the fire she felt her body being pushed back as the small wet hands touched her body. "Prue! Help me here." She called out as she pulled it from her and tossed it to the fire creating a small explosion.

With the light they could now see the sparkling eyes all around them.

"Keep the fire up!" Phoebe yelled from the other side if the fire that was now starting to flame back up again.

Prue cast her powers through the brush and flew the ones in site further back.

"They don't like fire. We have to keep the flames up." Phoebe moved around frantically as she felt something on her back. Only this time it grabbed her wound in its hand and squeezed. The pain she felt wretched through her body as she fell to the ground screaming.

She could feel the wound re-open and the blood seeping. She could also hear them getting closer to her. Drawn to her fresh blood. She tried to shut out the pain but it got to much as her world went black.

Prue watched in horror as what ever these things were, one jumped out on to Phoebe. The next thing she heard was the screams of her sister and her going down. "Piper freeze them!"

"I am, but some are to far away."

"Then come on. We freeze them as we get to Phoebe." Prue grabbed her hand and ran over to her sister.

Using her power she flung the one off that was holding on to Phoebes side and flung him on the fire. Seeing him burst in flame gave her little delight as she went to Phoebe, gently picking her up she moved them all back to the box and closer to the fire.

Phoebe felt the pain in her side and the slight pressure that was on it as she slowly came too. "P..Prue."

"I'm right here sweetie." Prue brushed her sister hair from her face.

"Fire."

"We know. It's going really good now. They won't be bothering us tonight. Get some rest."

Phoebe looked up at Prue, "Draconic."

"What?"

"That's what they are. Or younger versions anyway." She managed to get out though slowly as her pain came and went. "I saw them once in the book. That is what he is. They must be like offspring or something."

"Ok so what are they exactly." Piper asked as she sat down next to her sisters.

"They are ancient law makers from ancient Athens. But they were known for their severe punishments for those that broke the laws. But it is the young that are the most dangerous. They are trying to make their footing in the family. Weakness means certain death for them at another's hands."

"I guess that's why he did what he did to you." Prue called.

"Yeah. But they are also known for their thirst for blood. That was why they focused in on me. They could smell the blood on me."

"So what part Dracula."

"Or same family maybe." Prue suggested. "Ok do you know how to get rid of them and then him?"

"They don't like fire. And I noticed once in the caverns that they don't like getting anything thrust through their stomachs. Its kills them. In fact it blows them up. The light of the explosion scares them back but only for a little while."

"Looks like someone learned something when she was away." Piper said. Now happy that they know how to vanquish the little critters.

"Ok at first light we are out of here." Prue said as she gently ran her hand over Phoebes cheek, "Get some rest sweetie. We'll be right here."

The sun broke through the morning haze as the bushes started to come to life. Every direction had a new sound that had Prue turning every way she could. With the sun slowly rising her worry over the Draconian lessened. But her worry for her sisters had not.

Phoebe looked up and watched her sister. "We should go."

"Morning sweetie."

"We need to go. I have a bad feeling."

"Premonition?"

"I'm not sure." Phoebe slowly pushed herself up and sat on the box. The front and side of her shirt was now completely covered in blood as she pushed at Piper, "Come on Piper. We need to get going.

"Phoebe you aren't."

"It's not an option Prue. We have to go. Besides we are almost there. Then we can vanquish his sorry ass."

Prue and Piper shared a look of concern but followed their sisters' lead and took a handle of the box.

The minute she touched it her ears rang and she got lightheaded as her world turned black and white.

She place both hands down for balance as she came out of it and felt the reassuring hands of her sister on her back.

"Phoebes. What did you see?" Prue asked gently

She couldn't tell them. But she had to tell them something.

"I saw them coming back. We have to hurry." She covered her lie a she placed her hand on the handle and waited for her sister to follow suit.

They made their way slowly through the brush until they came to the clearing and then started to picked up their pace, if only slightly. Suddenly they all heard them rushing from behind coming out for the underbrush.

"Guys we need to go faster!" Phoebe cried out as she saw them starting the chase. Members from all the teams. Each one after the prize and not really caring who had it. She was seeing her premonition unfold right behind her. She knew if they didn't hurry they would all be caught and killed.

They ran. They could see the base that they needed to get to. And they also know that had to reach there in order to get away from them. Once there they would be safe.

How much further? It seemed already that they had been running forever. They watched as energy balls sailed by them, each one feeling the burning in their legs and arms from running with the large box.

Then everything went to chaos. The box slipped as one let go, lying on the ground holding her shoulder where she had been grazed but an energy ball.

She looked up and saw her sisters a few feet away looking back at her. Everything seemed to slow down. Their world seemed to rewind.

She looked to her sister and her sister looked back at her. Then she ran.

Then everything came back to speed.

"**GO!"** she yelled

"I'm not leaving you!"

"**GO!!"**

She was torn. Should she go back and save one sister and risk all of them being caught. Or did she and her other sister keep going and win. Saving two thirds of the Charmed Ones. Sacrifice one for the many? She didn't know which way to go.


	11. The End

Her world went in slow motion as she watched a seemingly battle of wills take place before her; One sister telling them to go and the other torn to go back. Though suddenly the battle was over. For one anyway, as the box dropped further and she watched her sister go back.

She had no choice. Not that she would have questioned her thoughts as she let go of the box and went back as well. Though she now stood between her two sisters as to protect them the best she could. Waiting that finally second Piper flicked her magic in the direction of the oncoming teams, freezing them in one place. She then turned and helped Prue.

"I told you two to go." She said in almost anger.

"Don't thinks so Sis. Now come on we have a demon to vanquish."

They made their back to the box and soon found themselves crossing the finish line together.

"Well done ladies. But you do know the price of cheating."

"Technically we didn't cheat." Phoebe said with a smug smile.

"You helped the other team win. What would you call it?" Draco asked.

"No. See there is no way any of us could have lifted that thing on our own. So, therefore each team wins. Not our fault that thing is to heavy for mere mortals."

"You also went back for your fallen sister. That is helping the other team."

"Not when you take their flags when they are helping you it isn't." She said with a smile holding the flags of her sisters' teams. "So in some ways yes they helped me get the box across but they didn't know I took these. So they didn't really cheat." She said again not able to wipe the smug smile of her face. He knew they were right and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

Piper laughed as the look of realization came across Draco. But just as she started to smile she started to feel the heat that was coming from him. As he looked down in panic to the flames building around his feet.

"No. What? No you can't. They did not win." He cried out as the flames consumed him more until he burst into a million pieces leaving nothing behind but dust as it lightly fell to the ground.

He watched as his friend and brother burst into flames. It was who they were. Win the game or pay. He knew what he had to do as he looked over at the witches. Two supporting the one that had got hurt between them.

"Take them to their cell. We will take care of them later." he ordered as four demons walked towards them.

Prue looked at the ones coming towards them and moved them away with her magic. "You, I may not be able to move, but I know I can them."

"You can not take care of all of us. Your magic is not that strong yet."

"Maybe, but our bond is." Phoebe said as she grabbed a hold of each sister's hand. "The power of three will set us free. The Power of three will set us free." Soon her sisters joined in as the wind picked up and swirls around them, dirt flying everywhere.

It was all that Phoebe could do to stand up. She lost her grip on Piper and fell to her knees as the pain in her side got too much. But she felt Pipers hand back in hers and her sister squeezing tight so they would not break the connection again.

Piper closed her eyes to the flying dust until she felt Phoebe let go. She opened her eyes and saw her sister on the ground in pain. Reaching down she took her hand and held tight. Though as she looked up she saw the small sparkles of each demon burst into nothing. But the wind never stopped. They had stopped their spell but the magic was still swirling around them.

Prue felt the energy coming from her and her sisters as the magic continued even after they had stopped their spell. But she soon felt the pull, as she was moving across the ground with no control. At first she panicked, but then realized it was the same pull that she had experienced with Piper at the start of this little game. Holding her sister's hands tighter she waited to see where they would end up.

Piper felt the hard impact of the floor slamming into her shoulder as she hit the ground and slid across landing against the far wall. She opened her eyes and to her relief she was back in the Manor.

"Prue? Phoebe?" She asked out as she slowly pushed herself up.

"Over here Piper." Prue said from another corner of the room.

"Ok what they hell just happened?" Piper asked as she grabbed a hold of Prues hand and pulled her up.

"Don't ask me." Prue answered as she brushed off her clothes. "Phoebe?" she looked around worried. She hadn't answered Piper when they first arrived back in the Manor. She remembered losing her grip on her sister and hoped that nothing had happened.

"Youngest present and accounted for." Phoebe said from near the stairs.

The oldest two Halliwells made there way to the stairs and helped Phoebe up.

"Owwey. Ok you know I'm not really liking this witch thing if all I ever get is my ass kicked." She complained as they sat on the couch. "This is why I need an active power."

"I'm sure it will come Phoebs." Prue said as she laughed at her sister. "Now what do you say we get you cleaned up a bit. You still look like you walked out of a war movie."

"More like flew out of one." Phoebe laughed.

--- ----

Phoebe pulled back as Prue placed the wet cloth on her still bleeding wound. Though not much anymore.

"Would you stay still."

"It hurts."

"I know, but as soon as you stop moving around it won't hurt as much."

"Oh well that's good advice seeing as its not you."

"Phoebe we wouldn't even be having this conversation if you had not jumped in front of me like that."

Phoebe didn't say anything as she looked over at Piper.

"Don't look at me. I'm still mad at you for that little stunt you pulled in the bush."

"Well it worked didn't it?"

"Almost didn't." Prue added as she gently placed the bandage onto the wound. "There. Done."

"Finally." Phoebe said as she slowly got up and headed to her room to change

Phoebe lay in bed later that night after her sisters had cleaned her wounds from their experience in the other world. Her whole body still ached as she pulled her covers to her and closed her eyes.

Prue stood outside the door to her sisters' room and waited. Phoebe hadn't been home more then three months now and they were still finding their stable ground with each other.

"Would you go in there already. You are making me restless."

"You. Why?"  
"Because you two have never exactly gotten along in the last year, or more. Ok lets go with more. And now you are standing outside her door after what just happened that makes me restless."

"Piper it isn't like I'm gonna go in there and.."

"And yell at her for the stupid stunt she pulled before we got the stupid box. Right" Piper, said, as she looked into her sisters' eyes. "Prue just go in there and be a sister. She doesn't need you to her mother anymore, she needs a big sister." Piper finished as she reached over and pulled Prue into a hug. "Night Prue. Love you."

"You too." Prue answered as she placed her hand on Phoebes door. Then she got a different idea and turned and went back to her own room.

Prue once again found herself outside of Phoebes room and held her hand to knock. Taking a deep breath she let her hand fall on the door before her. "Phoebs?" she said quietly as she opened the door. "You awake?"

"No."

Prue laughed at her sister. It was a game they had played as kids. She would ask and Phoebe would say no. And Prue would then just say ok. I'll go now.

"Ok. Well I'll just go now then." Prue answered as she closed the door behind her. "Phoebes I need to talk to you." She finally said quietly as she sat on the edge of the bed. "How you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a freight train."

"Ouch. That bad hey?" Prue said as she pulled herself up on her sisters' bed and wrapped her arms carefully around Phoebe.

The silence hung between the two of them like ice, but Phoebe curled next to Prue. "You couldn't do it could you? You couldn't listen to me just once." Phoebe said as she snuggled down.

"Grams was right. And after that I made a promise to not leave you again."

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asked as she looked up to her sister

"She said in a real situation I would never leave you behind. I guess she knew that once we became witches then it would be life and death. And she was right. When I looked back and saw you on the ground. Everything about that day long ago in school came back to me. You on the ground and looking up at me with your big brown eyes."

"Ok lil Sis still confused."

"Do you remember when you tossed that blue flag at me after the intramural games at school?'

"Vaguely. Why?"

Prue wrapped her arms around Phoebe, though feeling her flinch underneath, "You ok?"

"Yeah, just a little sore." Phoebe said knowing she couldn't lie to Prue.

Prue reached over to the bedside table and placed in Phoebes arms the trophy she had won then, "This is for you. It would seem you won again." Prue said. "You got mad at me and asked me if it was a gnarly beast if I would leave you behind. I of course said that was different."

"And once again you were right."

"No, Grams was. She saw right through us. She knew one day we would become witches and I would never let anything happen to you, or Piper

Phoebe took the trophy in her hands and look at it. "Prue this was not about this. It never was. It wasn't about us."

"Phoebe I want you ..." her sentence unfinished."

"No. Prue I loved you then and I will always love you. There is no winner or loser here. We each know what happened and that is all we need to know."

"Intramural games." Prue laughed.

"Yeah who would have thought they would be life and death games." Phoebe laughed back before getting serious again.

Prue tighten her hold on Phoebe as she felt her sister melt in her arms.

"I love you Prue." Phoebe said as the silence fell between them.

Piper got up during the night and did a check on Phoebe. Her injuries where still a concern to the youngest of her big sisters. But as she opened the door slowly to her sisters' room she smiled to herself. The site of Prue and Phoebe curled up together was just enough for her to smile. They had found something together. And as time wore on they would finally find the connection that would make them not only powerful witches, but that Prue and Phoebe would finally be the sisters they were meant to be.

The end

* * *

Well that was fun. Though I don't recall any gnarly beast when I played Intermural in school. Glad you all enjoyed it. and as usual...watch out for another fic. coming very soon.

Stay Charmed

Di


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